Friction clutch



FRICTION CLUTCH Filed March 23, 1922 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

JACK C. CARLTON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CARLTON MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

Application filed March 23, 1922. Serial No. 546,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACK C. CARLTON, a

citizen of the United States, and residing at 7 Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Friction Clutch-es, of which the following specification is afull disclosure.

I lily invention relates to improvements in radial drills and particularly to the construction of the base plate and to the mechanism for frictionally clamping the vertical sleeve, which carries the radial arm, to the cylindrical column upon which the sleeve is concentrically mounted.

' cylindrical members together, comprising a plurality of crescent shaped wedges interwedgingly engaged between the cylindrical members and expansively moveable for rigidly binding the parts together and pro viding a quickly operable and powerful clamp. r 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a radial drill base of hollow construction to furnish a reservoir and drainage for the lubricant or coolant supplied to and draining from the cutting tool of the ma chine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more rully'set forth in a description of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and, in the-drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views of which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the column supporting end of a radial drill base.

Figure 2 is a side elevationof the base portion ofthe radial drill column with the base portion of the radial arm carrying sleeve nested over the column and shown partly in section.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 2.

' Figure l is a section on line H, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail of the crescent, or segmental wedge members, viewed from their convex side. h

Figure 6 is a similar view of the crescent shaped clamp, member.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the base plate oi a machine tool. plate is of hollow construction and is arranged at one end to support thereon a vertical column 3, rigidly secured to the base by screws. The base plate beneath the column is of hollow construction to provide an oil reservoir, the upper wall of the base being provided with openings 5, at opposite sides of the column, leading to the reservoir 6, the openings 5 being covered by cap plates 4. The forward portion 7 of the baseis provided with the usual longitudinal T grooves, 8, for clamping the work or a work support upon the base. The upper surface of the forward portion of the base marginally is provided with drainage grooves 99 recessed within the upper surface of the base and draining toward the rear portion of the base and into the reservoir 6. The interior of the reservoir is cross-ribbed. for strengthening the walls, which ribs are prd vided with openings as shown at 10, Figure 3, so that the difl'erent subdivisions formed by the ribs are intercommunicating, all combining to form a unit reservoir 6. i

The column, 3, at the upper part of its pedestal portion is counter-turned to telescopically or concentrically receive the hub, 11, of the drill arm carrying sleeve, 12; to provide a recess or pocket between the column and hub, 11, ot the sleeve for the reception of the friction clamp elements and to provide a shoulder, 13, upon the column as a support for the clamp elements. The column below the shoulder, 13, is annularly grooved as at 14: to receive the-ends of the screws, 15, engaged through the hub, 11, of the sleeve for securing the sleeve upon the column against vertical displacement by permitting the sleeve to swivel or swing about the column; Anti-friction rollers, 16, have This base their axes disposed vertically or interposed between the periphery of the column and in a surface of the hub, which rollers, aside from providing anti-friction means or a free swiveling of the sleeve, serve to centralize the sleeve upon the column. The sleeve as is .customary in radial drill design is hung from the top of the column, (not shown The friction clamp interposed between the column end hub of the sleeve comprises a series of crescent shaped members, 17, 18 and 19. The crescent shaped clamp member 17 has its outer surface concentric and its inner surface eccentric with its opposite ends respectively overlapping the tapered ends of the relatively opposing half-crescent or segmental wedge members 18 and 19.

The outer surface of the wedge member 17 engages the inner periphery of the hub 11 while its opposite inner surfaces overlap respectively the wedge members 18 and 19. The member 17 is held against circumferential sliding motion or displacement by means of a key, 20, engaged in an orifice through the wall of the column and into an orifice through the wedge member 17 as shown in Figure 3. The opposite ends of the wedge member 17 tapering toward their extremities provide equal flexibility so that they can be compressed against the hub 11 of the sleeve. The half-crescent members, 18 and 19, have their inner surface concentric to engage the periphery of the column and their outer surface eccentric and respectively engaging the opposite eccentric surface ends of the crescent member 17 and when the members 18 and 19 are moved in an expanding or separating direction the ends thereof will be wedged between the outer periphery of the column and the inner surface of the wedge member 17, expanding the same against the inner periphery of the hub for frictionally clamping all the parts together. The members 17, 18 and 19 represent a segmental annulus about the column and within the sleeve, the segments of crescent shape and one thereof of section form for extensibility. The adjacent ends of the members 18 and 19 are each provided with an extended tongue, 21, adapted to mutually overlap as shown in Figure 2, and to provide centralized points for connecting with the actuator or expanding means for moving the members 18 and 19 in opposite directions for clamping or unclamping operations. The tongues have their inner side notched, each to respectively receive a roller, 22, mounted upon a pin, 23, engaged into bores in the end of the crank shaft 24, the crank shaft being journaled within bearings in the column. The pins, 23, as shown, are engaged in the head end of the crank shaft which has a bearing in the column and relatively occupy a superposed position at opposite sides of the axis of the shaft so as to move in opposite directions upon rotation or oscillation of the shaft for moving the members 18 and 19 in relatively opposed directions for a clamping or unclamping operation. The crank shaft, 24, is oscillated by alever arm, 25, fixed or keyed upon the crank shaft intermediate of the shaft bearings. The arm is connected pivotally to an extensible link, 26, the link in turn being connected pivotally to the end of the arm, 27, fixed upon the shaft, 28, and journaled in a bearing in the base flange of the column and through a bearing, 29, fixed upon the base plate. The forward end of the shaft, 28, is provided with a hand lever, 30, for manually rocking shaft, 28, and transmitting motion to the crank shaft, 23, through the connections just described. Thus when the wedge members 18 and 19 are moved from each other about the column they are forced into engagement relatively with the opposite ends of the crescent member, 17, forcing the same outwardly into binding engage ment with the hub of the sleeve, 12, and by moving the wedge members 18 and 19 in a direction toward each other, the parts will be released, which permits the sleeve to be swung about the column.

The wedge segments of the clamp are sustained against vertical displacement by a split collar, 31, annularly recessed into the column and the sections of the collar are connected together by bolts, 32, passing through upwardly extended ears upon the ends of the half sections of the split ring 31.

The hand lever, 30,, is shown as provided with depending ears, 33, for making power connections with the lever or providing means for making extended connections with the hand or footlever for actuating the'parts from a distant point, as by means of an air-clamp. As herein shown, the ears 33 have pivoted therebetween a link 35, the opposite end of which is attached to an intermediate arm 36, of a foot lever 37, pivoted at 38, and rockable in either direction I by foot power applied to treadle portions 39, 40. Thus the shaft '28 can be correspondingly rocked, and the column clamp controlled from a point distant from the column.

The herein described form of clamp or clutch provides substantially a circumferential pressure against the parts to be clamped together, for a very secure and rigid coupling thereof. The clamp is quick-acting, powerful, and allows the column and sleeve to be clamped together as a unit without permitting one part to vibrate upon the other.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described for clamping together two members having concentric circumferential surfaces, a pair of crescent shaped members adapted to beinterposed between concentric circumferential surfaces of two members to be clamped, with the ends of said-wedge members arranged to relatively overlap one another, and means for moving one of said members toward a second.

2. In a device of the class described, a radial drill colunm, a sleeve concentrically engaged upon said" column, means for frictionally clamping said column and sleeve together, comprising a pair of crescent-shaped members, disposed circumferentially between said column and sleeve, havingtheir ends relatively overlapping, one of said members being of two-part form, and means for moving the parts of said member in relatively expandlng and contracting directions.

3. In a device of the class-described, two nested members having concentric circumferential surfaces, a pair of crescent-shaped wedge members disposed relatively in opposing directions circumferentially between the concentric surfaces of said members with the ends relatively overlapping one another, one of said members being of two-part form, and means for moving the parts of said member relatively in contracting and expanding directions.

4. A friction clutch comprising a pair of members having opposing concentric surfaces, oppositely disposed crescent-shaped clutch elements between said members and about the common axis thereof, having their prong ends relatively overlapping each other, one of said elements being expansible for wedging said clutch elements against said members to frictionally bind the parts together.

5. A friction clutch comprising a pair of members adapted to be frictionally clamped together, having opposing concentric surfaces, oppositely disposed crescent-shaped clutch elements between said members and about the axis thereof, having their prong ends relatively overlappingly extended, one of said members divided for extensibly moving the parts thereof, for cooperation with the second of said crescent-shaped members.

6. In a machine of the class described, a tubular column having a counter-turned pedestal, a sleeve concentric with the colmun, having a hub end nested over the counter-turned portion of said pedestal, an expansible friction clutch mechanism about said column, between the sleeve hub and column, a crank shaftjournaled within said column pedestal, cooperating with said clutch mechanism for actuating the same for clamping said sleeve and'column together, and lever means accessible from the exterior of said columns for rocking said crank shaft.

7. In a machine of the class described, a

tubular column, a sleeve concentrically and rotatively supported upon said column, an expansible friction clutch mechanism interposed between said column and sleeve for clamping the same together, a crank shaft cooperating with said clutch mechanism, and lever means accessible from the exterior of said column for actuating said crank shaft. I

8. In a machine of the class described, a tubular column having a stepped pedestal, a sleeve concentrically engaged about said column, having a hub end engaged over the stepped portion of said pedestal, clamping means interposed between said column and sleeve, for clamping the column and sleeve together, and anti-friction rollers disposed between said column and sleeve hub, said rollers having their axes parallel with the axis of said sleeve. i v

9. In a machine ofthe class described, a column having a stepped pedestal, a sleeve disposed concentrically about said column and stepped portion of said pedestal, antifriction rollers interposed between the column and sleeve, for rotatively supporting said sleeve about said column, and friction clamping means for clamping said sleeve to thecolumn. g

10. In a machine of the class described, a column, a sleeve freely nested over said column, having rollers interposed between said sleeve and column for centralizing the lower end of the sleeve about the column.

11. A friction clutch comprising a segmental annulus adapted to be interposed between two members having concentric annular surfaces for frictional engagement with said annulus for clamping said members together, the segments of said annulus of crescent form and arranged relatively with their prong ends overlapping and opposingly extended, one of said segments extensible, and means for extensibly moving said segment.

12. A friction clutch comprising a cres cent-shaped clutch member, adapted to be interposed between the concentric annular surfaces of two members to be clamped together, wedge elements relatively opposed for respective cooperation with the prong ends of said crescent-shaped clutch member for expanding said clutch member and wedgingly engaging the prong ends and wedge elements into frictional engagement with the annular surfaces of the members to be clamped together.

13. A friction clutch comprising opposingly arranged crescent members adapted to be annularly disposed between the concentric annular surfaces of two members to be clutched together, with the prongs of the crescent members relatively overlapping be tween the members to be clutched, one of said crescent members consisting of opposingly movable segments, and crank means for moving said segments for wedgingly engaging the prongs of said crescents between the members to be clutched for frictionally binding the parts together.

14. In a device of the character described, in combination with a stationary column and a column rotatably mounted thereon, a pair of crescent-shaped wedges interposed between said columns and having overlapping ends, and means for expanding one of said wedges whereby said wedges are caused to bind said second mentioned column against rotation on said stationary column.

15. In a device of the character described, in combination with a stationary column and a column rotatably mounted thereon, a pair of crescent-shaped wedges interposed between said columns and. having overlapping ends, means for securing'said wedges against horizontal displacement with respect to each other, and means for expanding one of said wedges whereby said wedges are caused to bind said second mentioned column against rotation on said stationary column.

16. In a device of the character described, in combination with a stationary column and a column rotatably mounted thereon, a pair of crescent-shaped wedges interposed between said columns and having overlapping ends, one of said wedges being split intermediate its length so as to provide overlapping portions, a block rotatably mounted in said stationary column adjacent the split in said first wedge, pins eccentrically mount ed in said block andin engagement respectively with the overlapping portions of said first wedge, and means for the rotation of said block whereby the sections of said firstwedge are moved with respect to said second wedge to bind or release saidrotatable column relative to said stationary column.

17. In a device of the character described, in combination with a stationary column and a column rotatablymounted thereon, a pair of crescent-shaped wedges interposed between said columns and having overlapping ends, one of said wedges being split intermediate its length so as to provide overlapping portions, means for fixedly securing the second Wedge to said stationary column, a block rotatably mounted in said stationary column adjacent the split in said first Wedge, pins eccentri'cally mounted in said block and in engagement respectively with the overlap ping portions of said first wedge, means for the rotation of said block whereby the sections of said first wedge are moved with respect to said second wedge-to bind or release said rotatable column relative to said stationary column.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

JACK C. CARLTON. 

